Vehicle control device and storage medium storing computer program for vehicle control

Abstract

A vehicle control device has a processor configured to decide on standby time for waiting until a vehicle that is capable of automatic control for at least one vehicle operation from among driving, braking and steering is to begin the operation for the lane change, based on either first information indicating the degree to which the driver contributes to control of the vehicle or second information representing the extent to which manual control of the vehicle by the driver is possible, the greater the degree to which the driver contributes to control of the vehicle, represented by the first information, or the extent to which manual control of the vehicle by the driver is possible, represented by the second information, the shorter the standby time.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle control device comprising a processor configured to decide on a standby time for waiting until a vehicle that is capable of automatic control for at least one vehicle operation from among driving, braking and steering is to begin an operation for a lane change, based on first information indicating a degree to which a driver contributes to control of the vehicle, a greater the degree to which the driver contributes to control of the vehicle, represented by the first information, a shorter the standby time;
 wherein the standby time comprises a first standby time measured from a time a lane change is determined to be necessary and a driver of the vehicle is notified of the lane change operation to a time when direction indicators are operated, and a second standby time measured from a time when direction indicators are operated until a beginning of the operation for the lane change; 
 wherein the first information includes selected mode information indicating the mode selected by the driver, from among a first mode in which the driver assesses the need for a lane change, a second mode in which the driver approves a lane change assessed to be necessary by the processor, and a third mode in which the driver receives a notification that a lane change assessed to be necessary by the processor is to be executed; 
 wherein the first standby time is set to be shortest when the first mode is selected, longer than the first mode when the second mode is selected, and longer than the second mode when the third mode is selected, and 
 wherein the second standby time is set to be shortest when the first mode is selected, longer than the first mode when the second mode is selected, and longer than the second mode when the third mode is selected. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a notification device that notifies the driver of vehicle information, and wherein the processor is configured to create a vehicle operation plan up to a predetermined time that includes a lane change, based on the scheduled route of the vehicle, the current location of the vehicle and the surrounding environment information of the vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is also configured to assess the difficulty for the driver to ascertain the environment of the vehicle surroundings, and
 the processor is also configured to vary the standby time, as the greater the degree of difficulty, the longer the standby time, based on the surrounding environment information of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       4. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium which stores a computer program for vehicle control that causes a processor to decide on a standby time for waiting until a vehicle that is capable of automatic control for at least one vehicle operation from among driving, braking and steering is to begin an operation for a lane change, based on first information indicating a degree to which a driver contributes to control of the vehicle, a greater the degree to which the driver contributes to control of the vehicle, represented by the first information, a shorter the standby time;
 wherein the standby time comprises a first standby time measured from a time a lane change is determined to be necessary and a driver of the vehicle is notified of the lane change operation to a time when direction indicators are operated, and a second standby time measured from a time when direction indicators are operated until a beginning of the operation for the lane change; 
 wherein the first information includes selected mode information indicating the mode selected by the driver, from among a first mode in which the driver assesses the need for a lane change, a second mode in which the driver approves a lane change assessed to be necessary by the processor, and a third mode in which the driver receives a notification that a lane change assessed to be necessary by the processor is to be executed; 
 wherein the first standby time is set to be shortest when the first mode is selected, longer than the first mode when the second mode is selected, and longer than the second mode when the third mode is selected, and 
 wherein the second standby time is set to be shortest when the first mode is selected, longer than the first mode when the second mode is selected, and longer than the second mode when the third mode is selected.